I really haven't heared a suitable argument on why masturbation is not allowed. I have read references from Hadith but nothing that outright explicitly forbids it. Masturbation is not genital intercouse so I don't see how that would violate the "no sex before marriage" policy. In fact masturbation is safer than genital sex between married couples, but that is the medical aspect of it. As far as religious I have yet to discuss this with an Imam or an Alim regarding the issue. I've come up with the conclusion that masturbation is seen as a cultural taboo because in certain cultures the appreciation of the body was not accepted. In most conservative socieities men don't express themselves or discuss their sexuality between themselves.

This is the ruling of the four Madhaahibs viz. Maliki, Shafée, Hanafee andone riwaayah (narration) from Imaam Hanbalee. They have drawn theirconclusions from the following proofs:

PROOFS FROM THE QURÃN* Allah Taãla says:'And those who guard their private parts from their wives and those(slave-girls) which their right-hands own - so there is no blame upon them.Then whoever seeks beyond that (which is lawful), they are thetransgressors.

The intended meaning of these Aayat is clear. Allah Taãla has praised thebelievers for guarding their private parts from that which He has madeforbidden for them. Allah has permitted them to approach their wives andslave-girls. Thereafter, these words of Allah Taãla follow: 'Whoever seeksbeyond that which is lawful are oppressors who overstep from Halaal(permitted) towards Haraam (prohibited).

Hafiz ibn Katheer (RA) writes Imaam Shaafée (RA) and those who have agreedwith him have concluded that masturbation is Haraam from this Aayat.' Hesays: 'Masturbation is excluded from these two types which Allah has madeHalaal, viz. wives and slave-girls.

* Similarly, these Fuqahaa (Jurists) have drawn their conclusion from thefollowing Aayat:'And those who do not find the means to marry should remain chaste untilAllah gives them resources by His grace.'

This Aayat shows masturbation to be Haraam because of two reasons: Firstly,in this Aayat Allah Taãla has given the command of chastity and, accordingto the principles of Fiqh, a command (an imperative) denotes Wujoob(incumbency, obligation). Hence to remain chaste is Waajib (compulsory) andwherever chastity is Waajib it becomes Waajib to refrain from that which iscontrary to it, for example, adultery, fornication, and sodomy. This is dueto the fact that obligatory chastity will not materialise except by completerefrainment from all that which is contrary to chastity.Secondly: in this Aayat, Allah Taãla has made chastity obligatory on thosewho are unable to execute the command of Nikah. Here Allah Taãla has notdetermined any connection or link between marriage and chastity. Hence, thisdemands that masturbation should be Haraam. And if assuming, it waspermissible, then Allah Taãla would have mentioned it at this point becausethis was the place of explanation. The silence maintaned by Allah Taãla withregard to it at a place which requires its explanation, denotes thatmasturbation is Haraam.

Imaam Qurtubi (RA) has written in the Tafseer of this Aayat: 'And when AllahTaãla has not determined any order between Nikah and chastity, then thisshows that besides these two, everything else is Haraam. However, thisHurmat (unlawfulness) does not include slave-girls because another commandof the Qurãn makes them Mubaah (permissible), viz.'That which the right-hands earn (i.e. slave-girls).' Hence, in this manneran addition of slave-girl has come. Masturbation, however still remainsHaraam.'Those who seek beyond this (i.e. wives and slave-girls) are transgressors.'(Maãrij 31)

Under the Tafseer of this Aayat, Qaadhi Thanaullah Paani Patti writes:'Imaam Baghawi has deduced from this Aayat that masturbation is Haraam.'

PROOFS FROM AHAADITH* Similarly, the Fuqahaa have drawn their conclusion from a Hadith reportedby Abdullah bin Masóod (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) in Bukhari and Muslim. He reportsthat Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said, 'O group of youth!Whoever from among you can marry should do so because it keeps the gaze lowand it protects the private parts. And he who cannot marry should make itcompulsory upon himself to fast because it breaks lust.'Nabi (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) directed the person who is incapable ofbearing the burden on Nikah towards Sawm (fasting). If assuming,masturbation was permissible, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) wouldhave mentioned it at this point. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam)however maintained silence. Hence, this indicates that masturbation isHaraam because silence at the place of explanation gives the benefit ofrestriction.

* Some of the Fuqahaa have drawn their conclusion from a narration reportedby Hasan bin Arfah that Nabi (Sallallaahu Álayhi Wasallam) said, 'Sevenpersons are such that Allah will not look at them on the Day of Qiyaamat norwill He purify them nor will He include them among the learned and Allahwill enter them into Jahannam. They will enter Jahannam first except forthose who repent. As those who repent Allah will accept their repentance.

1. A person who masturbates.2. A person who performs the act of sodomy.3. The person upon whom the act of sodomy is performed.4. A perpetual drunkard.5. The person who hits his parents so much that they appeal for help.6. The person who harms his neighbours so much so that they curse him.7. The person who commits adultery with his neighbour's wife. (Ibn Katheervol. 5 p. 458)

SAYINGS OF OUR PIOUS PREDECESSORS WITH REGARD TO MASTURBATION* Saéed bin Jubayr (Radhiallaahu Ánhu) narrates that Rasulullah (SallallaahuÁlayhi Wasallam) said, 'Allah Taãla will inflict a punishment on a group ofpeople because they played with their private parts.'* Attaa (RA) says, 'Some people will be resurrected in such a condition thattheir hands will be pregnant, I think they are those who masturbate.'

Allow sw declares one must protect their chastity until they get married, masturbating is not protecting your chastity. And Allah sw knows best. If I wasn't so busy, I would have loved to expand on this...take care

Edited by Ruhi Islam - 12 October 2008 at 1:34pm

Judge the deed, not the breed. Islam & Muslims are two different things, a Muslim should not necessarily be associated with Islam.

Being chaste is being pure in spirit. Its not neccessarily a physical state. A chaste woman who's raped, remains chaste.

Masturbation is certainly haraam, considered to be a lesser form of zina. However as some scholars opine, if a person is in a situation that will lead to zina and had to chose between zina and masturbation, the lesser of the two evils may be chosen and Allah is Most Forgiving. Habitual masturbation is not excusable.

Okay, I'm not a Muslim, but I have to comment on this because it's just plain illogical:

This Aayat shows masturbation to be Haraam because of two reasons: Firstly, in this Aayat Allah Taãla has given the command of chastity and, according to the principles of Fiqh, a command (an imperative) denotes Wujoob (incumbency, obligation).

Okay, but what does masturbation have to do with chastity? Isn't that just begging the question, i.e. assuming the conclusion you are trying to prove?

And if assuming, it was permissible, then Allah Taãla would have mentioned it at this point because this was the place of explanation. The silence maintaned by Allah Taãla with regard to it at a place which requires its explanation, denotes that masturbation is Haraam.

But again, doesn't this assume the conclusion? Why does masturbation "require an explanation" in a passage discussing marriage and chastity?

If the mere silence of the Quran on a subject is sufficient to declare it haram, then the list of things that are haraam becomes endless. I guess even using a computer would be haraam.

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